Improved instrument for acupuncturation



@tutti A NsoN u.V BROWN, M. D.,

MW n

OF ALBION, MICHIGAN.,

Letters Patent No. 84,854, dated December` l5, 1868.

IMPRovED INSTRUMENT ron ACUBUNCTURATION.

The Schedule referred tp in these Letters Patent andmaking part ofv the same.

To allwwm 'it 'muy concern Be it known that LANSON R, BROWN, M.D.,of Albion, in the county of Calhoun, and StateofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Instruments for Acupu11cturation;`and Ido hereby deelare tllat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which-Y Figure .l represents a central Vertical section ofthe case, 85e., and side elevation'of the needle-plunger.

Figure 2 is a cross-section 'of theplnnger-liead, in the line z. 1

My invention applies to that class of surgical instruments for puncturing the skin, which are charged with some medicated fluid designed to` enter the punctures, and produce an irritating or other medicinal effect in the cure of diseases; and

It relates to improvementslin 'the moderofcharging the instrument,regulating the protrusion ofthe plungerlancets, and the .quantity of the'iluid injected.

.To better enable others Iskilledin thisjart or science to construct andL use this, myainvention, I will proceedy to describe it, premising that, althoughnndoubtedly applicable to most instrumentsfor 4such purpose, it was m'ore especially designed as an'improvement upon the kind of instrument for which Letters Patent, dated Jannary l, 1867, were granted to me. v

A represents a plunger-bead, proded with a shank, a, which is enclosed (but with iieedom to move longitudinally) within a casing, B.` j

Thisplunger has a series of lancets, e, cast within it,

- which lancets are arranged in pairs, substantially as seen in iig. 2, cachpairconverging togetherat the punctm'ingpoints, in the manner of drawing-pen blades.

A cap, O, and shoe, D, are screwed on the ends of the casing B, so as to form a tight interior chamber, E, which contains the compound for inoculation. The outer end of the cap is made deeply concave, so as to receive within the concavity the iiatted head of the adj listing-screw F, which is screwed through a diaphragm, ll, insaid cap. l

The interior end ofthe screw has a bore or countersink, or both, (as seen,) to receive the end ofthe plungershank, and so form' a stop for it, when the screw is adjusted for the exact projection of the lancet-points required for penetration.

I I represent two thinnish disks, o1' the same material, usually, as the case is composed of that is, vulcanized rubber or gutta-percha.

These disks enclose betweenthem a disk, J, of felting or leather, or any suitable elastic materialfor the purpose or function I will presently describe; and the three disks fit snugly into a countersink-bore inthe casing, so that when the shoe D is screwed tightly on,

they are rmly and tightly secured between a bottom packing, p, and the inner shoulders.`

The oiii'cevof the elastic disk J is to break and control the passage of the uid compound to the lancetl points. y t Y Each pair of lancets passes tln'ough suitable holes in the disks I, and through single slits in the felt or other elastic disk, J. Consequently, each pair of blades, as it is inserted, forces the l.sides of the slits apart, and the duid-'compound Vin the case only passes down` betweenithe blades, and not exteriorly, unless so designed',

in which-case a disk of looser or more elastic texture may beemployed. A

`A single solid disk may be used, and the elastic disk J placed on top, so as to answer substantiallyfthe same' aii'ordedfno'meansof checking the ow of the fluid,

which-was ,poured in through a hole in adiaphragm formedfingrthe casing, to ll the chamber. The adjust- `ing-screw was placed inside thecap, withits point inserted inthe plunger-shank.

In the arrangement, herein described as new, thel penetration 0f the lancets can be regulated, without removing the cap', by turning the countersunk head of the set-screw; and when the cap is removed, Athe fluid can be poured directly into the chamber E, thus rendering the whole arrangement simpler, and more convenient and efcient in use.

A spring, (not shcwn,) inserted in any convenient manner, is always necessary', to press back the plunger against th'e adjusting-screw. j

I do not claim the arrangement or form of the punctnring-lancet s, nor the solid perforated disks or blocks toreceive said lancets; but

- What I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

vl. I claim th'e disk J, of felt or other suitable yielding or elastic material, when used in combination with one or more inelastic disks, I,`through which the lancets c may pass, substantially as and for thepurpose herein specilied.

2. I claim the arrangement and combination of the concave-headed cap C and adjusting-screw F, with the plunger and shank A c, and casing B, of an acupuncture-instrument, substantially in the manner and for the uses set forth.

ANSON R. BROWN, M. D.

Witnesses:

\ C. H. Coon,

ALEX. Gnocxnn. 

